Monoplane.



INVENTR aZ/L/ 3 SHEETS-SHEET L G. U. MULLER.

MONOPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1913.

Patented June 2, 1914.

WHNESSES Gv. U. MULLER.

MONOPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 23, 1913.

I Patented June 2, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES G. U. MULLER.

MONOPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1913.

1,098,962, Patented June 2, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTUR lsection on GoTTLIEB U. MULIain,v or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MONOPLANE.

incassa.

Specioation of Letters atent.

Application filed Ju'ly 23, 1913. Serial No. 780,625).

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that' I, GOTTLIEB U.MULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State o-f Pennsylvania,

have Ainvented a new and useful Monoplane, of which the following is l 'a specification.

My invention consists of a monoplane irovided with improved means for control ing the movable sustaining planes to properly balance the machine when {iying and control its movements of elevation and descension, as well as its lateral movements.

lt further consists of means for cont-rolling the inclination of the movable sustaining planes from the seat of the operator to either move both in the same direction or one in one direction and the other in the opposite direction. n

lt further consists of improved means for horizontally steering the machine, whereby the rudder will not create cross-currents for the elevating plane and reduce its efficiency.

lt fur-ther consists of an improved run-l absorb intense shocks ning gear capable to -and to withstand rough landing.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail one mechanical form embodying the invention, such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

ln said annexed drawings: Figure 1 represents a side-elevation of my improved monoplane. Fig. 2 'represents a front-elevation of the machine with a portion of one of the movable supporting planes broken away and removed. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the machine with portions of the Inovable supporting planes broken away and removed, and with the engine, the propeller and the support for said engine removed. Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of the means for controlling the movable sup-porting planes. Fig. 5 represents a. transverse the line m-m, in Fig. i Fig. 6

represents a detail view of the retracting means for one of the wheels. lFig. 7 represents a detail view of the elevation plane and its controlling means.

Similar Am'nneral-s of reference indicate corresponding parts in the gures.

Referring to thev drawings, the reference :Patenteaaune 2, 1914.

numerals l indicate the upper, parallel bars l of the frames of the fuselage, which are c011- neoted at their rear ends to the rear ends of parallel bars, 2, somewhat shorter than said upper frameabars. Upright struts, 3, connect the outer ends of thelower bars to the' upper bars, and struts, 4, connect the bars intermediate said struts and the rear ends of the bars. The forward ends of the lower bars are connected by a cross-bano, and the upper bars are connected at the upper ends of the struts by means of a cross-bar, G. Oblique braces, 7, extend from the lower cross-bar to the forward ends of the upper bars.. Pairs of arms, 8, are pivoted to the lower crossloar, and arms, 9, are pivotally connected to a cross-bar, 10, which connects the lower, longitudinal frame-bars at the rear of the portion of the frame which forms the seat and engine support. The arms 9 are tubular, and the shanks, 11, of forks, 12, slide in said forward ends of said tubular arms, and the axles, 13, of wheels, 14, are journaled in the ends of the branches of said forks and of said pairs of arms. Coiled springs, 15, are secured to the forks and to the tubular arms, serving to retract the forks and wheels. A forwardly projecting nd upwardly curvedv skid, 16, is supported between said wheels from the cross-bars of the truck-frame, to extend a distance abovethe level of the lower portions of the wheels. An arch, 17, is connected with the cross bar 1() at the rear portion of the truck portion of the frame, and two longitudinal bed-bars, 18, are secured at their rear ends to the crown of said arch and at their front ends to a support, 19, carried by t-he struts 110 which are part of the truck-portion of the y 20, is sup-ported upon said arch-and support. A propeller, 21, is secured upon the shaft, 22, of said motor to rotate between the side-bars of the frame tothe rear of the truck-frame.

'lhe motor may be of any type, and be frame, and a motor,

controlled in any manner within convenient reach of the aviator, all of which, being within the selection of the-builder, are not illustrated.

The forwardly extending. plane 23 is a part of the movable supporting planes removed from the center, and extending some distance to the front to provide an ,additional center of pressure to the one of the movable supporting planes for natural stability, and also 4provide a bracing for the movable supporting planes, as well as for the fuselage, said plane is secured by the 'ends of its forward cross-bar to the forward ends ofthe upper side-bars of the frames and of the oblique braces, and extend rear-- ward to be secured with its side bars to the struts 3, to the required angle of incidence. Two guide-bars, 24, are secured at their forward and rear ends to the forward and rear cross-bars of the truck portion, and a carriage, 25, is slidable upon said guide-bars, and a pulley, 26, is journaledupon said carriage and has a worm-gear, 27, upon its upper side. A screw-shaft, 28, is journaled in bearings, 29, upon the cross-bars, be?

otally connected at the inner ends of their' forward spars, 34, to the upper ends of the forward struts and to the upper cross-bar of the frame. Said planes have each a rear spar, 35, and a central spar, 36, and are otherwise braced and covered in any suitable or preferred manner. Upright struts, 37, are secured to the inner ends of the central spars of the planes and extend upward and downward, and brace-wires, 38, are secured to the ends of said struts and to various point-s of the frame-work of the planes. Brace-wires, 39, extend from the forward ends of the upper side-bars of the frame to the forward spars ofthe planes. Upright struts, 40, are supported at the forward portion of the truck-frame, and are connected to upper cross-bar 6 of the fuselage, and guy-wires, 41, connect the upper ends of said struts and extend to the forward spars' of the planes. wardly inclined struts or guide-strips, 42, are secured at their ends' to the upper and lower side-bars of the frame, and guidebails, 43, upon the inner edges of the movable sustaining planes are slidable upon saidA struts or -strips. The lower ends of the actuating-struts 37 of the movable sustaining planes are movable in guides, 44, upon the sides of the lower side-bars of the fuselage, so that said struts may be drawn forward and back and thus rock themovable sustaining planes. -37 designates a bar carried by each of the struts 37, and extending therefrom, and each having brace-wires, 55, secured to them and connected to the ends An additional seat, Vnot Slightly rearof the actuating struts, 37, to equalize the outward strain of the planes and prevent buckling of the struts under such strain.

An elevation-plane, 45, has the ends of its forward cross-bar, 46, pivoted in brackets, 47, upon short struts, 48, connecting the upper and lower side-bars of the tail, near their rear ends, and a rock-shaft, 49, is

journaled at the joined rear ends of the'sidebars of the tail and has rearwardly-projecting arms 50, vhaving slide-links, .51 pivoted at their outer ends, which links are slidable upon rods, 52, uponthe upper side of the plane. An arm, 53,v projects forward from one end of the rock-shaft, and the ends of wires, 54, or similar iiexible connections are secured to the end of said arm, which wires pass around pulleys, 56, toward the forward end of the machine where they pass around and are secured to a pulley, 57 upon an upright shaft, 58, journaled in the front of the truck-'frame and in front of the aviators seat, and provided at its upper end with a hand-wheel, 83, 'for rotating it.. Awire, 59, or similar ieXible/connection, is secured from opposite sides to the V`lower end of one of the actuating struts of the movable sustaining planes on one sideof the Inachine and passes around the pulley 60 and 61, journaled in the corners of the truckframe, and around pulleys, 62 and 63, at the front and rear end of the guides for the carriage, while wires 59x or similar flexible connections, are secured from opposite sides of the lower end of the other of the actuating struts of the movable sustaining planes upon the opposite side of the machine and passes around the pulleys 60 and 61 journaled in the corners of the truck-frame, and around pulleys 62 and 63, at the front and rear ends of the guides for the carriage. The ends of said wires are wound in opposite directions laround the pulley 26 upon the carriage, and secured to the same, so that rotation of said pulley in one direction will pull upon one wire to draw the rear edge'of one movable sustaining plane upward, while the rear edge of the other movable sustaining plane is pulled downwardly and vice versa. The rotation of the pulley is accomplished by means of a worin, 64, rotatable with and slidable upon a shaft 65, journaled above one of the carriage-guides, and said shaft has a pulley, 66, upon its forward end, around which passes a sprocketchain or similar flexible cdriving means, 67, which passes around an idler, 68, and around a drum or pulley, 69, upon a sleeve, 70, ro-.

tatablysupported upon the shaft 58, and havin a hand-wheel, 80.

Ru ders, 71, are pivotally supported upon the outer lsides of the rear portions of the` side-bars of the fuselage, near the rearv ends of the same, and springs, 72, secured to said ruddersiand to brackets, 73, upon the fory to the rear portions ofthe side-bars of the fuselage, and have'upright braces 79. ln practice, the forward plane is set at the proper angle whereupon it is permanently secured to the upright struts'. Having the movable sustaining planes set to be in perfect line with each other, and the elevating' plane set to the starting position, completes the machine for the ascent, the aviator takes liis seat, takes holden the hand wheels and raises in the air, after flying a short distance he will be aware where readjustment of the machine -is needed, and by means of the hand wheel 31, under his seat and the hand wheel in front of him he balances the machine until it `flies steady. Any lateral un'- `balancing of the machine may be corrected by means of the lower hand-wheel in front of him, which changes the angle of incidence of the movable sustaining planes inversely, consequently will raise the lower side of the machine if the angle of incidence of that plane is increased. Any unbalancing longi-` tudinally of the machine through loss of weight, for instance, loss of fuel or lossJ of explosives carried for destruction purposes, or in case of an accident, can be corrected by the hand wheel 31 on the screw-shaft under the aviators seat. The head resistance of the movable sustaining planes can also be regulated by means of the hand-wheel 3l to balance the-gravity of the lmachine with the speed obtainable, that is, without endangerl ing the range ofthe elevating plane.

ln order to guide the machine horizontally, the rudders are operated by suitable actuation of the pedals 82 by the operator, and in order to ascend or descend, the elevating plane 45 is varied by means of the hand wheel 83 which actuates the drum 57 around which is wound the wires 54 which areconnected, as explained, with the ele` vating plane 45, to vary the inclination thereof.

ln orderto vary the anglehof incidence of the movable sustaining planes, it will be 'understood that the rear portion thereof may be I noved upwardly or downwardly in unison, or the rear portion of one may be raised and the ear portion of the other lowered, or vice v rsa. To accomplish this, the hand wheel 8O is, actuated; this rotates the sleeve 70`carrying thev drum l69, around ywhichpasses the sprocket chains 67 which, actuate the pulley 66 and so the shaft 65, which carries. the worm 64 and so imparts rotation to the pulley 26 around which passes tlie wires 59 and 59", and as these are wound around the pulley 26 in opposite directions and are secured to thevmovable sustaining planes as described, one end of. the wire 59 leading to one plane will be slackened, and the other end of the wire 59 will be tightened, so moving thelower end of that plane in one direction and varying the inclination of the real'v end of that sustaining plane, for example, raising it, while at'the. same time, the other wire 59X being wound around the pulley 26, the opposite direction from that of the wire V,59, will exert a reverse pull upon its strut to move the lower end thereof to vary the inclination of its sustaining plane in the opposite direction from that of the first plane, that is, the rear of one plane will be elevated, while the other is lowered. Now in order to raise or lower the rear of both planes in unison, the operator rotates the wheel 3l and lsuch as if the load'is unequal or if variable air currents are met with. ln turning or in making curves or spiralspr where a certain, amount of list toward the inner side of the ,90 so the shaft 28, this will impart lateral curve is required, the operator can control p the same.

As the front plane is an advanced stationary part of the movable sustaining planes, and fills the space between the `sustaining planes, a comparatively large supporting surface will be provided free from obstructive parts of the machine, such as the power-plant which blows the full force .of air-'of thepropeller against the body of the machine, whereby the efliciency of the power-plant is reduced.u By locating the power-plant in the rear of the front plane, the latter will shield the motoras well as a number of parts of the machine and reducethe head resistance of the same, and the ropeller will be working in a free and undisturbed body of air, thus attaining its full eliiciency, and will not create eddies under the vlanes of the machine. As the steering ru ders are to the sides of the elevationkplane, they will not create deviation individually acting, as if one rudder was placed in the center of the tail, as the retarding point is on one side the machine will with less resistance turn around that point, than if it was in the center. If the machine strikes the ground with an undue shock, the wheels will be forced forward until the shock is over, when the springs will again draw the wheels rearward and raise the Inahands, so that easy control of ally operating parts is possible.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth respectively, in the following claims are employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ying machine, a fuselage, supporting planes pivotally mounted upon the said fuselage, actuating struts secured to said planes, a carriage movably mounted upon said fuselage, means for longitudinally moving said carriage, a rotatable member upon said carriage, means for rotating said member, and flexible connections secured ton said struts and having their ends secured to be wound around said rotatable member.

2. In a flying machine, a fuselage, supporting planes pivoted to the sides of said fuselage, actuating struts secured to said.

planes, a carriage movably mounted upon said fuselage, means for longitudinally moving said carriage, a pulley upon said carriage, means for rotating said pulley, and iexible connections secured to said struts and having their ends secured and wound in opposite directions around said pulley.

3. In a flying machine, a fuselage, supporting planes pivoted at the sides of said fuselage, actuating struts suitably secured to said planes, guides for said struts, a carriage movably mounted upon said fuselage, meansV for longitudinally moving said carriage, a pulley upon said carriage, means for vrotating said pulley, and eXible connections secured to said struts and guided to have their ends secured to be wound around said pulley.

4. In a flying machine, a frame or fuse- .lage, supporting planes `pivoted at their inner forward corners to the sides of the upper part of said frame, actuating struts secured to the inner edges of said planes, a longitudinal guide in the lower part of said frame, a carriage upon said guide, means for longitudinally moving said carriage, a pulley upon said carriage, means for rotat- 'ing said pulley, and flexible connections secured to the lower ends of said struts and guided to have their ends secured to be wound Ain opposite directions around said pulley.

5. In a iying machine, a frame or fuselage, supporting planes pivoted at their inner forward corners to the sides of the upper part of said frame, actuating struts secured to the inner edges of said planes,- guides upon the sides of the lower part of said frame for'the lower ends of said struts, a longitudinal guide in the lower part of said frame, a carriage upon said guide,

means for longitudinally ymoving said carriage, a pulley upon said carriage, means for rotating said pulley, and exible con-4 nections secured to the lower ends of said struts and guided to have their ends securedv to vbe wound in opposite directions around said pulley.

6. In a iying machine, a frame or fuselage, supporting planes pivotally supported upon the upper part of said frame, actuating struts secured tol said planes, a longitudinal guide on said frame, a carriage upon said guide, means for moving said carriage on said guide, a lpulley upon said carriage, means for rotating said pulley, and flexible connections secured to said struts and having their ends secured to be wound around said pulley.

y GOTTLIEB U. MULLER.

Witnesses:

C. D. MCVAY, l F. A. NEWTON. 

